SWK Stadtwerke Kaiserslautern Versorgungs-AG, with the support of DIGIMONDO-IoT experts Jonas Thiel and Katharina Rogge, presented "SWK iNet", a digital service platform for companies, energy suppliers and local authorities, on 25 August 2020. With SWK iNet, the regional energy provider offers answers to the question of what a climate-friendly and sustainable city can look like, in which a high quality of life is still guaranteed. Topics such as "Smart City" and "Internet of Things" have long been high on the agenda of the product developers at SWK Stadtwerke Kaiserslautern Versorgungs-AG. Using IoT software from DIGIMONDO, they have independently developed and successfully operated their own IoT solutions for internal projects in recent years. Once the developers have used the Internet of Things to solve internal processes and tasks, the flexible IoT software enables them to become a provider of IoT solutions themselves with SWK iNet. In this way, the Internet of Things not only optimizes processes but also opens up new sources of income.
SWK iNet was developed to be a reliable conductor and to offer intelligent solutions and networking for both business customers and cities and communities in the region. "By networking thousands of sensors and end devices, the technical control, evaluation and visualization of processes can be tracked, some in real time, and flexibly adapted and improved," reports Markus Vollmer, CEO of SWK Stadtwerke Kaiserslautern Versorgungs-AG. SWK iNet not only ensures the data exchange between devices, but also offers an IoT platform, a central unit that channels, collects and uses the digital information that arises. This IoT platform provides, for example, dashboards and maps, automated data exports, messages or alarms, and the management of sub-accounts, for example for customers. SWK iNet thus offers a wide range of possible applications to increase profitability by controlling, automating and optimizing processes.
For the use of SWK iNet, the municipal utilities provide the entire infrastructure and support in all tasks related to the individual requirements of the product. As a service provider, the Stadtwerke team takes care of consulting, connection and setup. Christian Welter, Head of Sales, explains: "Imagine the garbage can announces when it is full or standing at another location; the fire department entrance when it is occupied; the water meter when there is a leak or the building when a window or door is open at the weekend. There are hundreds of applications and together with our customers we are constantly developing more. As a reliable partner with experience, we provide an all-round service that includes not only advice on business potential, but also on the use of the technology, sensors and other system hardware. We also provide support for the visualization platform and mobile applications. Setup and implementation of the network and sensor technology as well as commissioning and training are included in our package. With SWK iNet, not only is more efficient management possible through the use of new technologies, but new growth can also be generated and customer experiences can be redesigned.
SWK iNet is based on LoRaWAN technology, a radio technology with a long range and deep penetration. With only a few antenna locations, so-called gateways, SWK iNet has a high network coverage in our region. The sensors are characterized by high energy efficiency and can be operated self-sufficiently with batteries for up to 10 years. Our in-house data center ensures that the data is secured. The municipal utilities are already using their technology successfully. With the help of SWK iNet, for example, elevated tanks are monitored, water meters are read remotely, voltage and network utilization are checked, environmental data is collected and the consumption of charging points is monitored. In a pilot project at Stadtbildpflege Kaiserslautern, SWK iNet is monitoring the fill levels of waste containers, improving forecasts for waste distribution and environmentally conscious route planning. It even ensures the location of mobile waste containers by means of GPS. The sensor technology, which already offers numerous application possibilities today, is constantly being further developed. For this reason, the possibilities of SWK iNet will also be continuously expanded in the future and the network structure will be expanded according to demand.
